9th Jan – 2 days over
2AM
I wake to the sound of screaming from one
of the other rooms on the ward. It sounds like some kind of animal in a severe
amount of pain but it’s actually a woman who’s obviously experiencing some
strong contractions. It’s absolutely terrifying.
4AM
The woman is still screaming but it’s
getting worse. She’s just yelling for help and begging the midwife to make it
stop. I can’t understand why she isn’t up on the labour ward being given some
serious drugs. I pop my head out of the room to see if I can see more and I’m
not the only one looking there’s a line of us all with the same petrified
expression so another midwife rushes round trying to reassure us. Funnily enough it doesn’t really work…
7AM
After finally getting a couple of hours
dozing all the lights come on, and the healthcare assistant comes in with meds
and does my temperature and blood pressure. Shortly afterwards the midwife
appears to see how I’m feeling and breakfast is given. They’re concerned that I
seem to be really dehydrated so I’m being force fed a lot of liquids.
9AM
Visiting hours have started so I’m
listening out for the sound of Mr W arriving as I’m desperate for a cuddle. At
the same time the midwife comes back and asks if I want a bath, whilst they
change my bedding.
940AM
Mr W arrives on the ward with snacks and
that much needed cuddle but as he steps away I suddenly feel a pop and my waters
break all over the floor. It’s the weirdest sensation but I just feel
excitement because it means something is really happening and I’m one step
closer to meeting muffin.
10AM
Suddenly I feel my first proper
contraction. It’s like a burning Catherine wheel in my back, not what I had
expected at all but I just start taking big breaths, concentrating on breathing
out. I always thought the whole breathing thing was a bit of a joke but it is
surprisingly distracting.
3PM
The contractions are really starting to
progress now and the midwife has just popped into say that they’re getting a
room ready for me upstairs in the delivery suite. However slightly
disappointingly after an examination I’m still not beginning to dilate so it
looks like I’ll be hooked up to the syntocinon drip.
430PM
I’m finally being taken upstairs to the
delivery suite to get this thing really going and it couldn’t come soon enough.
My mum has also arrived as my second birthing partner, her role is to play bad
cop to Mr W’s good and supportive.
445PM
I’m all settled into my room and the
doctor’s and midwife have come in to discuss the next steps in my labour. As I
haven’t dilated at all the decision is made to put me on the drip and give me
an epidural which is slightly nerve racking.
5PM
The anesthetist arrives and talks me
through the procedure and the risks. As the contractions are coming closer
together I’m slightly nervous about how I’ll manage to keep still but luckily
one arrives literally as they’re about to put the needle in so I know I’ll be
ok. As soon as the drug is in I can start to feel it taking effect. After a
couple of minutes I look round at the monitor and I can see a contraction is
happening but I can’t feel a thing – heaven. The only thing I can feel is lots
of pins and needles in my legs which isn’t particularly comfortable. The drip
is then hooked up and we wait patiently for labour to really start progressing.
7PM
My midwife Sophie is finishing her shift
and I’m waiting to find out who my new one will be. I know it’s something that
happens but she’s been so lovely I’m really nervous about who the next one will
be, so I beg her to find me someone nice. Thankfully in walks Elizabeth who is
not only comforting but also has over 40 years experience so I can relax as I
know I’m in the very best hands. I’m also starting to dilate!!
10th Jan – 3 days over
1210AM
After another examination I’m 6cms and we
all start to get excited as it means things are definitely starting to
progress!!! Elizabeth predicts that little muffin should be arriving at around
5AM so I’m told to get some rest.
1AM
It’s time for Elizabeth to go on her break
so another midwife is told to keep an eye on me and ensure that my epidural is
topped up every 30 mins as apparently if you lose control of it and the pain
starts again it’s really difficult to get back on top of. I’m also seen by
several doctors who are keeping an eye on my case but seem happy with the
progress.
230AM
I wake up from a nap to find my back really
aching and some intense contractions just as Elizabeth comes back into the
room. She checks my chart and realizes that I haven’t been topped up at all and
now we’ve started losing control of the epidural. We also discover after
another examination (no real progress) that little muffin is back to back which
is why I’m feeling thing so intensely in my back and pelvis.
4AM
I’m in real pain now as my contractions
come thick and fast. I’m having two contractions back to back before a 30
second break and then they’re back again. I’m exhausted and the tears are
starting to fall as Mr W and my mum hold onto me. The consultant also arrives
for an examination and I haven’t progressed at all since midnight and they
can’t turn up my drip any further. It looks like little muffin’s head is stuck
in my pelvis. It also increasingly looks like I’m not going to be able to have
this baby naturally and they start talking about giving me a c-section.
However despite the consultant saying he’s
90% sure I won’t be able to have this baby naturally he wants to wait another
two hours to see if things can progress. At this point a slightly heated
discussion occurs as I beg them to do it now as I really don’t feel I can wait
another two hours in this pain and Elizabeth agrees but the decision is made
that I have to wait.
630AM
At some point since the consultant was last
in the epidural must have kicked in again and I’ve had some sleep but it’s time
to wake up again as the team is back and after another examination I’m still
6cms.
The next thing I know the decision is made
to give me an emergency c-section and things start to happen very quickly.
Elizabeth chucks my pre-meds at me and she and my mum (who is also a nurse)
start racing to get my med socks on. Within another five minutes the room is
full of people to take me down to the operating theatre and help Mr W get my
things together. Then I’m being wheeled out the room and across the hall to the
theatre.
650AM
I’m on the operating table, trying so hard
to be brave but internally I’m petrified and panicking as it hits me that I’m
about to have major surgery. However the start is delayed for a couple more
minutes as the surgeons discuss how to make the cut without destroying my
tattoo. Today I’m glad they took at the time but at the time I really couldn’t
have cared less.
712AM
Little muffin is here! The anesthetist
pulls down the screen and I see him for the first time. It’s the weirdest
experience as I desperately look at him hoping I’ll recognize him but I’m
disappointed that I don’t really. However I’m soon distracted as Mr W turns to
me and says, ‘are they supposed to be blue? Is that normal?’
I try to ignore him as I begin to really
panic internally but then I hear someone say, ‘emergency delivery room 1’ and
suddenly the room is filled with people. Mr W stands up and we wait for what
feels like the longest time to hear muffin make a noise. Finally we hear him
cry and the doctor tells us everything is ok he just had some fluid in his
longs they needed to remove.
Unfortunately though before we can relax I
realize that not all is going well down my end. The Drs seem to be talking is
stressed tons and they keep asking the anesthetist to inject this drug and that
drug. The worst part is though that Mr W is also know longer by my side as he’s
meeting our new son so I have no one to voice my panic to. I can honestly say I
have never been so scared in my life.
750AM
After another age my consultant pops his
head around the screen and tells me that I’ll just be another couple of minutes
as they finish stitching me up. I ask what went wrong and he explains that my
uterus hadn’t contracted after they removed the placenta so I’d lost over a
litre and a half of blood but everything was ok now.
I don’t get any time to dwell on it though
as in the next moment my little son Arthur is placed beside me and I get to
properly meet him for the first time.
810AM
At long last we’re out of theatre on HDU,
just the three of us pretty exhausted but a family and ready to face the next
set of challenges…
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